The results of the poll question “Should dad stay with mom and the baby at the hospital” where pretty conclusive.
- Yes – stay with mom (17 votes)
- No – go home (5 votes)
- Yes – but only if there were unexpected complications (5 votes)
I didn’t vote in this poll, but BeAGoodMom did. She voted yes. Guess where I’ll be staying.
My choice would definitely be to stay anyway. I think having dad around first couple nights is very beneficial to mom. Mom is very sore and needs a lot of help. Sure mom could call for nurses, but isn’t it more comfortable to ask somebody she knows and trusts and doesn’t have to ever be embarrassed in front of. Also, as Modified Mummy points out, hospitals can be a bit intimidating for people that have gone through something as major as childbirth .
Also, I think one of the things that really helped my confidence handling small babies was that I was involved in the routine 24/7 from the second they were born. Both times that the kids peed all over a wall were when I was changing them in the hospital. It is good to get some practice away from the house before bringing them home. 
So, I’ll be staying.
Adrienne says that I should go home to give my parents a break from watching Geetle and Pookie. Fortunately, my parents are capable, willing and crazy enough to want to watch the kids while we are in the hospital and for a few days afterward. I would probably have to contact the local authorities to have any chance of getting them home until my parents decide that we are ready. I’m hoping that this will have no effect on my future inheritance but if so it will be a fair trade.
Ruthie points out that the kids might like me to come home and visit them. Hopefully, this time we will only be at the hospital for a night or two instead of 5 nights like last time. After that, my parents are going to let the kids hang out at our house for a couple hours either before or after school each day until they officially come home a few days later.
Since TacoSupreme is taking her sweet time deciding to join us other air breathing people, we have plenty of time for another poll concerning birthing decisions. The question this time is “Should dad cut the umbilical cord?” which is inspired by a question Bad Dad asked in the comments one day. I ignored it on purpose so we could all vote on it here.
Vote in the poll in the sidebar and then feel free to leave comments below.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
When my first was born, everyone always asked me if I was going to watch the baby being born. My first response was to say no. Do you plan on watching?
I did all 3 times now and it is awesome. Yesterday I also cut the cord.
Duck Hunter, congrats on the baby. I’m looking forward to reading that she has been sent home in the next week or two.
I will definitely be in the room and helping hold her legs and breath and give her something to focus her pain and anger at.
As for the cutting of the cord, I did not do it with Geetle and Pookie. Geetle was born 16 minutes before Pookie so we had to keep moving. Then Pookie had to get a couple puffs of the air bag before he was ready to start breathing, so again, there was no time for letting me snip at the cord. I’m not even sure if the doctor even asked me or not.
Okay, here are my thoughts.
Unless it’s going to make you yak or pass out, do it. You’re probably not going to regret doing it later but you may regret NOT doing it. Ultimately you only get one chance to cut each child’s cord.
Cutting the cord still creeps me out just thinking about it.
In our case, my wife has had 11+ hour labors. The last two times we headed to the hospital at midnight and didn’t deliver until noontime the next day.
So after being up for well over twenty four hours and going through the stress of delivery, last thing I want is for doctor insisting I cut the cord. If anything, the doctor should prep the father ahead of time and ask whether the father wants to — not be put on the spot and feel pressure.
I just don’t view it as a way of bonding with the baby. I don’t view it as symbolic. In my opinion it’s best left to an expert. I’d rather hold the baby instead (after the mommy of course).
You mean they don’t? Ask you ahead of time I mean. That was one of the things we had written in our birth plan and in our hospital everyone does a basic birth plan.
I don’t really want you to cut the cord, unless you want to. I don’t think its a real huge “Dad” moment. But I might not totally get it, being I am not the Dad. I would prefer that you get ready to sit next to me on the bed and look at the baby when they bring her to me.